The County Commissioners received a status report on the County’s sidewalk program at their meeting today. The Commissioners receive the report annually to review sidewalk program activities and consider adding new sidewalk segments.
Leon County funds sidewalk constructions with half of the County’s share of the five-cent gas tax and the Blueprint 2020 sales tax. Staff reports that sidewalk funding from the gas tax was suspended for FY 2021 due to COVID-19 budget cuts, but the Capital Improvement Program includes $1.25 million from the Blueprint 2020 sales tax.
The sidewalk program includes two categories: Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) and Community Sidewalk Enhancements. Funding is allocated at 60% for SRTS and 40% for Community Sidewalk Enhancements.
All SRTS projects are expected to be completed within the next five years, and staff expects to complete all Community Sidewalk Enhancement projects within the next 15 years. The sidewalk projects are prioritized into tiers, and the current status of the projects is:
Safe Routes to Schools Projects
Tier 1 Completed Projects:
• Chadwick Way – Bull Headley Road to Deer Lake
• Natural Bridge Road – Woodville Highway to Taff Road
• Beech Ridge Trail – Kinhega Drive to Lawton Chiles Drive
• Lonnie Road – Torchmark Lane to Dempsey May Road
• Old Bainbridge Road – Seventh Avenue to Volusia Street
• Killearn Lakes Greenway Trail – Deerlake West at the Middle School Crosswalk to
Copperfield Circle
• Perkins Road ADA Improvements – Point View Drive to Roweling Oaks Court
Tier 1 Projects in progress:
• Tram Road – Gaile Avenue to Crossing Rocks Road
• Timberlane Road – Martin Hurst Road to Market Square
• Blountstown Highway – Williams Landing Road to existing sidewalk east of Campus
Tier 2 Projects in progress:
• Blountstown Highway – Merry Robin Road to Sir Richard Road.
Community Sidewalk Enhancements Projects
Tier 1 Completed Projects:
• Crowder Road – US 27 to Lake Jackson Landing and Indian Mound Road
Tier 1 Projects in progress:
• Old St. Augustine Road – Indian Head to Blair Stone Road
• Old St. Augustine Road – Blair Stone Road to Paul Russell Road
• Old St. Augustine Road – Paul Russell to Midyette
• Gadsden Street – Ingleside Avenue to Seventh Avenue
• Gadsden Street – Seventh Avenue to Eighth Avenue
• Tram Road – Crossing Rocks Road to Capital Circle
• Maclay Road – Meridian Road to the east of Bobbin Brook East.
The Commissioners also approved adding new sidewalks to the list for community enhancements, including sidewalks on Edenfield Road, Shelfer Road, Lakeshore Drive, Faulk Drive, Longview Drive and Mission Road.
Soon, we will all need to use these sidewalks, because the streets will be in such disrepair that we won’t be able to drive. Hmmmm…is that the goal?
I wonder how many sidewalks could have been repaired with the $40K+ tax dollars wasted on the “Marxists Welcome” sign?
There needs to be a sidewalk on victory garden road. I was told it was on the list but I don’t see it listed.
How do suggest where sidewalks are needed? Portions of Ox Bottom have sidewalks, but none are complete and connect.
This whole process needs serious review because funding decisions are based more on politics rather than true need and the staff developing the list for consideration don’t have enough thorough knowledge of all the listed projects to make informed recommendations regarding prioritization.
A Map of the Side Walks would go a long way here.